Imatges de pàgina
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'Ill plant Plantagenet, root him up who dares :-
Resolve thee, Richard; claim the English crown.
[Warwick leads York to the throne, who seats
himself.

Flourish. Enter King Henry, Clifford, Northum-
berland, Westmoreland, Exeter, and others, with
red roses in their hats.

K. Hen. My lords, look where the sturdy rebel sits,
Even in the chair of state! belike, he means
(Back'd by the power of Warwick, that false peer,)
To aspire unto the crown, and reign as king.-
Earl of Northumberland, he slew thy father;-
And thine, lord Clifford; and you both have vow'd
revenge

On him, his sons, his favourites, and his friends.
Nerth. If I be not, heavens, be reveng'd on me!
Clif. The hope thereof makes Clifford mourn in
steel.

West. What, shall we suffer this? let's pluck him
down:

'My heart for anger burns, I cannot brook it.

K. Hen. Be patient, gentle earl of Westmoreland.
Clif. Patience is for poltroons, and such as he;
He durst not sit there had your father liv'd.
My gracious lord, here in the parliament
Let us assail the family of York.

North. Well hast thou spoken, cousin; be it so.
K. Hen. Ah, know you not, the city favours them,
And they have troops of soldiers at their beck?
Exe. But when the duke is slain, they'll quickly fly.
K. Hen. Far be the thought of this from Henry's
heart,

To make a shambles of the parliament-house!
Cousin of Exeter, frowns, words, and threats,
Shall be the war that Henry means to use.-
[They advance to the Duke.
Thou factious duke of York, descend my throne,
And kneel for grace and mercy at my feet;
I am thy sovereign.
York.
Thou art deceiv'd, I am thine.
Exe. For shame, come down; he made thee duke

of York.

York. 'Twas my inheritance, as the earldom was.
Exe. Thy father was a traitor to the crown.
War. Exeter, thou art a traitor to the crown,
In following this usurping Henry.

Clif. Whom should he follow, but his natural
king?

War. True, Clifford; and that's Richard, duke of York.

'K. Hen. And shall I stand, and thou sit in my throne?

"York. It must and shall be so. Content thyself. War. Be duke of Lancaster, let him be king. West. He is both king and duke of Lancaster: And that the lord of Westmoreland shall maintain. War. And Warwick shall disprove it. You forget, That we are those, which chas'd you from the field, And slew your fathers, and with colours spread March'd through the city to the palace gates.

North. Yes, Warwick, I remember it to my grief; And, by his soul. thou and thy house shall rue it.

West. Plantagenet, of thee, and these thy sons,
Thy kinsmen, and thy friends, I'll have more lives,
Than drops of blood were in my father's veins.
Clif. Urge it no more; lest that, instead of
words,

I send thee, Warwick, such a messenger,
As shall revenge his death, before I stir.
'War. Poor Clifford! how I scorn his
less threats!

(1) Since.

York. Will you, we show our title to the crown? 'If not, our swords shall plead it in the field.

K. Hen. What title hast thou, traitor, to the
crown?

Thy grandfather, Roger Mortimer, earl of March:
Thy father was, as thou art, duke of York;
I am the son of Henry the Fifth,
Who made the dauphin and the French to stoop,
And seiz'd upon their towns and provinces.

War. Talk not of France, sith' thou hast lost it all.
K. Hen. The lord protector lost it, and not I;
When I was crown'd, I was but nine months old.
Rich. You are old enough now, and yet, methinks

you lose :

Father, tear the crown from the usurper's head.
Edw. Sweet father, do so; set it on your head.
Mont. Good brother, [To York.] as thou lov'st
and honour'st arms,

Let's fight it out, and not stand cavilling thus.
Rich. Sound drums and trumpets, and the king
will fly.
York. Sons, peace!

K. Hen. Peace thou! and give king Henry leave
to speak.

War. Plantagenet shall speak first:-hear him, lords;

And be you silent and attentive too,

For he, that interrupts him, shall not live.
'K. Hen. Think'st thou, that I will leave my
kingly throne,

Wherein my grandsire, and my father, sat?
No: first shall war unpeople this my realm;
Ay, and their colours-often borne in France;
And now in England, to our heart's great sorrow,
Shall be my winding sheet.-Why faint you, lords?
'My title's good, and better far than his.

War. But prove it, Henry, and thou shalt be king.
K. Hen. Henry the Fourth by conquest got the

crown.

York. 'Twas by rebellion against his king.
K. Hen. I know not what to say; my title's weak.
Tell me, may not a king adopt an heir?
York. What then?

'K. Hen. An if he may, then am I lawful king:
'For Richard, in the view of many lords,
Resign'd the crown to Henry the Fourth;
Whose heir my father was, and I am his.

York. He rose against him, being his sovereign,
And made him to resign his crown perforce.
War. Suppose, my lords, he did it unconstrain'd,
Think you, 'twere prejudicial to his crown ?2

Exe. No; for he could not so resign his crown,
But that the next heir should succeed and reign.
K. Hen. Art thou against us, duke of Exeter?
Exe. His is the right, and therefore pardon me.
* York. Why whisper you, my lords, and answer
not?

Exe. My conscience tells me he is lawful king. K. Hen. All will revolt from me, and turn to him. North. Plantagenet, for all the claim thou lay'st, Think not, that Henry shall be so depos'd.

'War. Depos'd he shall be, in despite of all. North. Thou art deceiv'd: 'tis not thy southern

power,

Of Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk, nor of Kent,-
Which makes thee thus presumptuous and proud,—
Can set the duke up, in despite of me.

Clif King Henry, be thy title right or wrong,
Lord Clifford vows to fight in thy defence:
May that ground gape, and swallow me alive,
worth-Where I shall kneel to him that slew my father!

(2) i. e. Detrimental to the general rights of hereditary royalty.

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York. Henry of Lancaster, resign thy crown:What mutter you, or what conspire you, lords? War. Do right unto this princely duke of York; Or I will fill the house with armed men, And o'er the chair of state, where now he sits, Write up his title with usurping blood.

[He stamps, and the soldiers show themselves. "K. Hen. My lord of Warwick, hear me but one word ;

'Let me, for this my life-time, reign as king. York. Confirm the crown to me, and to mine heirs, And thou shalt reign in quiet whilst thou liv'st.

K. Hen. I am content: Richard Plantagenet, Enjoy the kingdom after my decease.

Clif. What wrong is this unto the prince your son? War. What good is this to England, and himself? West. Base, fearful, and despairing Henry!

Clif. How hast thou injured both thyself and us! West. I cannot stay to hear these articles. North. Nor I.

Clif. Come, cousin, let us tell the queen these

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Why should you sigh, my lord? K. Hen. Not for myself, lord Warwick, but my

son,

Whom I unnaturally shall disinherit.
But, be it as it may :-I here entail

The crown to thee, and to thine heirs for ever; Conditionally, that here thou take an oath To cease this civil war, and, whilst I live, To honour me as thy king and sovereign; And neither by treason, nor hostility, *To seek to put me down, and reign thyself. York. This oath I willingly take, and will form. [Coming from the throne. War. Long live king Henry!-Plantagenet, embrace him.

'Q. Mar. Nay, go not from me, I will follow

thee.

K. Hen. Be patient, gentle queen, and I will stay.

'Q. Mar. Who can be patient in such extremes? Ah, wretched man! would I had died a maid, *And never seen thee, never born thee son, *Seeing thou hast prov'd so unnatural a father! Hath he deserv'd to lose his birthright thus? Hadst thou but lov'd him half so well as I ; Or felt that pain which I did for him once; *Or nourish'd him, as I did with my blood; Thou wouldst have left thy dearest heart-blood there,

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Rather than made that savage duke thine heir, * And disinherited thine only son.

*Prince. Father, you cannot disinherit me : If you be king, why should not I succeed? *K. Hen. Pardon me, Margaret ;-pardon me, sweet son;

*The earl of Warwick, and the duke, enforc'd

me.

*Q. Mar. Enforc'd thee! art thou king, and wilt be forc'd?

shame to hear thee speak. Ah, timorous wretch! Thou hast undone thyself, thy son, and me; And given unto the house of York such head, As thou shalt reign but by their sufferance. To entail him and his heirs unto the crown, What is it, but to make thy sepulchre, *And creep into it far before thy time?

Warwick is chancellor, and the lord of Calais; Stern Faulconbridge commands the narrow seas; The duke is made protector of the realm; And yet shalt thou be safe? such safety finds The trembling lamb, environed with wolves. Had I been there, which am a silly woman, The soldiers should have toss'd me on their pikes Before I would have granted to that act.

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But thou preferr'st thy life before thine honour:
And seeing thou dost, I here divorce myself,
Both from thy table, Henry, and thy bed,
Until that act of parliament be repeal'd,
Whereby my son is disinherited.

The northern lords, that have forsworn thy colours,
Will follow mine, if once they see them spread:

And spread they shall be; to thy foul disgrace, And utter ruin of the house of York. per-Thus do I leave thee: Come, son, let's away; Our army's ready; come, we'll after them. K. Hen. Stay, gentle Margaret, and hear me speak.

'K. Hen. And long live thou, and these thy forward sons!

York. Now York and Lancaster are reconcil'd. Exe. Accurs'd be he, that seeks to make them foes! [Senet. The lords come forward. "York. Farewell, my gracious lord; I'll to my

castle.

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Q. Mar. Thou hast spoke too much already; get thee gone.

K. Hen. Gentle son Edward, thou wilt stay with me?

Q. Mar. Ay, to be murder'd by his enemies. Prince. When I return with victory from the field,

I'll see your grace; till then, I'll follow her. Q. Mar. Come, son, away; we may not linger thus. [Exe. Queen Mar. and the Prince. 'K. Hen. Poor queen! how love to me, and to

her son,

Hath made her break out into terms of rage! Reveng'd may she be on that hateful duke; Whose haughty spirit, winged with desire, *Will cost my crown, and, like an empty eagle, Tire2 on the flesh of me, and of my son! The loss of those three lords torments my heart: I'll write unto them, and entreat them fair; Come, cousin, you shall be the messenger. Exe. And I, I hope, shall reconcile them all [Exeunt,

SCENE II-A room in Wakefield, in Yorkshire. ard, and Montague.

Sandal Castle, near Edward and Richard, you shall stay with me ;Enter Edward, Rich-My brother Montague shall post to London :" Let noble Warwick, Cobham, and the rest, Rich. Brother, though I be youngest, give me With powerful policy strengthen themselves, *Whom we have left protectors of the king,

leave.

Edo. No, I can better play the orator.
Mont. But I have reasons strong and forcible.
Enter York.

'York. Why, how now, sons and brother, at a strife?

What is your quarrel? how began it first?
Edu. No quarrel, but a slight contention.
York. About what?

Rich. About that which concerns your grace,
and us;

'The crown of England, father, which is yours. "York. Mine, boy? not till king Henry be dead. * Rich. Your right depends not on his life, or

death.

*Edw. Now you are heir, therefore enjoy it now: * By giving the house of Lancaster leave to breathe, *It will outrun you, father, in the end.

York. I took an oath, that he should quietly reign.

Edw. But, for a kingdom, any oath may be

broken:

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"York. I shall be, if I claim by open war. 'Rich. I'll prove the contrary, if you'll hear me speak.

'York. Thou canst not, son; it is impossible. 'Rich. An oath is of no moment, being not took Before a true and lawful magistrate, That hath authority over him that swears: Henry had none, but did usurp the place; 'Then, seeing 'twas he that made you to depose, 'Your oath, my lord, is vain and frivolous.

Therefore, to arms. *And, father, do but think,

* How sweet a thing it is to wear a crown; * Within whose circuit is Elysium,

* And all that poets feign of bliss and joy. * Why do we linger thus? I cannot rest,

* Until the white rose, that I wear, be died

* Even in the lukewarm blood of Henry's heart. York. Richard, enough; I will be king, or die.

'Brother, thou shalt to London presently, 'And whet on Warwick to this enterprise.Thou, Richard, shalt unto the duke of Norfolk, "And tell him privily of our intent.'You, Edward, shall unto my lord Cobham, With whom the Kentish-men will willingly rise: 'In them I trust; for they are soldiers, 'Witty' and courteous, liberal, full of spirit.While you are thus employ'd, what resteth more, 'But that I seek occasion how to rise; And yet the king not privy to my drift, Nor any of the house of Lancaster? Enter a Messenger.

'But, stay; What news? Why com'st thou in such post?

'Mess. The queen, with all the northern earis

and lords,

Intend here to besiege you in your castle: 'She is hard by with twenty thousand men ; "And therefore fortify your hold, my lord.

* York. Ay, with my sword. What! think'st thou, that we fear them?

VOL. II.

(1) Of sound judgment.

And trust not simple Henry, nor his oaths. *Mont. Brother, I go; I'll win them, fear it not⚫ *And thus most humbly I do take my leave. [Ex. Enter Sir John and Sir Hugh Mortimer.

York. Sir John, and sir Hugh Mortimer, mine uncles!

You are come to Sandal in a happy hour; The army of the queen mean to besiege us.

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Sir John. She shall not need, we'll meet her in the field.

"York. What, with five thousand men? Rich. Ay, with five hundred, father, for a need. woman's general; what should we fear? A march afar off. 'Edw. I hear their drums; let's set our men in

order;

And issue forth, and bid them battle straight. "York. Five men to twenty-though the odds be great,

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doubt not, uncle, of our victory. Many a battle have I won in France, 'When as the enemy hath been ten to one; 'Why should I not now have the like success? [Alarum. Exeunt.

SCENE III.-Plains near Sandal Castle. Alarums: Excursions. Enter Rutland, and his Tutor.

'Rut. Ah, whither shall I fly to 'scape their hands?

Ah, tutor! look, where bloody Clifford comes!

Enter Clifford, and Soldiers.

Clif. Chaplain, away! thy priesthood saves thy

life.

As for the brat of this accursed duke,

Whose father slew my father, he shall die.
Tut. And I, my lord, will bear him company.
Clif. Soldiers, away with him.

Tut. Ah, Clifford murder not this innocent
child,

'Lest thou be hated both of God and man.

[Exit, forced off by Soldiers Clif. How now! is he dead already? Or, is it fear, That makes him close his eyes?-I'll open them. 'Rut. So looks the pent-up lion o'er the wretch That trembles under his devouring paws: And so he walks, insulting o'er his prey; 'And so he comes to rend his limbs asunder.'Ah, gentle Clifford, kill me with thy sword, And not with such a cruel threat'ning look." Sweet Clifford, hear me speak before I die ;I am too mean a subject for thy wrath, Be thou reveng'd on men, and let me live.

Clif. In vain thou speak'st, poor boy; my father's

blood

Hath stopp'd the passage where thy words should enter.

Rut. Then let my father's blood open it again; He is a man, and, Clifford, cope with him.

Clif. Had I thy brethren here, their lives, and thine,

Were not revenge sufficient for me;
No, if I digg'd up thy forefathers' graves,
And hung their rotten coffins up in chains,
It could not slake mine ire, nor ease my heart.
The sight of any of the house of York
Is as a fury to torment my soul;

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